GOOD AGE: making Massachusetts better for older folks

Weymouth retiree Drew Horn, 84, has some ideas for the new state aging council as it holds its first public meeting July 25 in Hyannis.

Sue Scheible The Patriot Ledger @sues_ledger

WEYMOUTH --Drew Horn is 84, retired and participates in civic discussions and community forums. With a background in business management, he has some ideas for the new state Council to Address Aging in Massachusetts.

The council wants to make Massachusetts an even better place to grow older and will hold its first public forum from 9 to 11 a.m. on Tuesday, July 25, at the Barnstable Senior Center, 825 Falmouth Road in Hyannis.

The council is looking for feedback from citizens on what makes their community a good place to grow older and what the state can do to improve the aging experience.

Horn quickly sent his thoughts in an email to the board. Being retired does not require withdrawal, he believes. It can and should mean finding new ways to participate.

“We don’t know what old age is like until we get there, but there are a lot of misconceptions and fears, and planning is likely to help make the aging process more successful,” he said.

Some of his ideas or priorities:

Make trained non-profit counselors at little or no cost through local elder services organizations to give advice based on individual needs and circumstances.

Have “affordable” housings costs better reflect the fact that many seniors have fixed incomes that don’t keep pace with the local or national economy. Real estate and other taxes should be adjusted according to ability to pay.

Socializing is well recognized as a key element in successful aging but we need more choices. Help libraries and senior centers connect people with common interests – books, travel, gardening, etc. Provide places to gather and connect us to successful groups in other communities.

Physical and mental changes due to aging can be subtle and unrecognized. It is important to identify them before they cause problems or injuries, especially in driving. Create a voluntary, affordable system to provide personal driver evaluation (similar to a driving test) with both verbal and written advice on how to sharpen the skills that need it.

Helping a friend or neighbor who needs a ride to a store or an appointment.

Teaching a skill (such as computers and notebooks) to those who need the help.

Being a “sounding board” for people who need someone to simply listen.

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Remembering Dorothy Hammer: She was a unique personality. Dorothy Hammer, who died recently at age 94, combined talent with a vivacious personality that served her well throughout her long life.

She remained feisty and opinionated to the end, her pastor, the Rev. Crystal Gardner of Whitman United Methodist Church, said last week.

I won’t forget interviewing Dorothy at her home in 2013. By chance my editor had met her at the dentist and was struck by her outgoing and productive life at age 89. Dorothy took me to see her paintings on the walls and along the sides at the Piano Mill in Rockland.

She adapted to life as it went along. In 2015, she worried that some of her works were damaged when part of the roof caved in at the Piano Mill where she exhibited and sold them.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do, but I can’t cry about it,” Hammer said. It turned out her works were not badly damaged.

The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 19, at Blanchard Funeral Home, 666 Plymouth St., in Whitman.

Meeting up with Marie: Readers may well remember Marie D’Olimpio, former longtime Quincy correspondent for The Patriot Ledger and also a food writer. By chance I ran into Marie on the Cape; she is doing very well and looks great. She lives in Quincy but was spending a week with her daughter, Nancy, in East Sandwich.

Reach Sue Scheible at scheible@ledger.com, 617-786-7044, or The Patriot Ledger, P.O. Box 699159, Quincy 02269-9159. Read her Good Age blog on our website. Follow her on Twitter @ sues_ledger.